“A stirring poetic tribute . . . Quick bursts of natural descriptions result in powerful moments . . . evok[ing] the careful attentiveness of famed ecologists, with nature made to mingle with human dramas throughout. Blending elements of memorialization with nature writing, Songs from Fern’s Pond is a poetry collection that explores loss, family, and the power of human will.” —Foreword Clarion Reviews

“A beautifully impressionistic weaving of anecdotes, poetry, and personal letters, and an ode to the seasons of a year, of a life, and of a lineage. Harmer has created, in her mother, Fern, a richly unforgettable protagonist and matriarch. As the weaving continues, much like with her own baskets, the warp and weft of Fern’s life becomes ever more discernible. And readers will find, in the end, that it is in the interspersal of the rough and the smooth, the ordinary and the bold, that makes the finished product one of such unique and memorable beauty. If what they say is true—that life is a work of art and we must all endeavor to remain its artist—we could do worse than follow in the path of Fern, who met the rough and the smooth with good cheer and never ceased living her life with generosity and intention.” —Alexandra A. Chan, author of In the Garden Behind the Moon

“How privileged we are to see a life through another’s eyes . . . a life we would have never known, never crossed paths with if not for Sheryl Pothier Harmer’s Songs from Fern’s Pond. In this collection, Harmer intersperses poems depicting the life of Fern—a hard-working woman full of love and grit—with actual letters the author and family received from Fern throughout her life. Some are very slice-of-life, and some will make you chuckle, but they all tell a story. Harmer illustrates beautifully through these poems and letters how the seasons of our life change, how the world as we know it is here for a time then gone, how it takes every single moment to truly live a life. Songs from Fern’s Pond so eloquently takes us out of our own lives and puts us into hers. It’s sure to leave a legacy on the hearts of readers for years to come, which, I feel confident, is how Fern would have intended.” —Amber Showalter, poet and author of Death Will Be Our Curfew

“Songs from Fern’s Pond contains the essence of not just surviving, but thriving. Herein lie the keys to adaptation, positivity, and joy that readers can easily learn from. A memoir, an artist’s journey, a celebration of nature, a learning opportunity that supports ongoing life education, or an uplifting story of adaptation and joy . . . highly recommended.” —Midwest Book Review 

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